Potential Climate Change Impacts And Actions To Adapt In Nearshore And Estuarine Areas Of Howe Sound/Atl’Ḵa7tsem,
2020
Ocean Wise
Potential Climate Change Impacts And Actions To Adapt In Nearshore And Estuarine Areas Of Howe Sound/Atl’Ḵa7tsem, Jennifer Chapman
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
Howe Sound/Atl’ḵa7tsem is a fjord located near Vancouver, BC with both nearshore and estuarine habitats and communities. The coastal and estuarine habitats in the fjord are highly vulnerable to impacts from climate change (e.g., sea level rise, increased storm frequency). In order to better inform local citizens and decision-makers about possible actions for climate change adaptation in these estuarine and nearshore zones, a new report on the area’s coastal health (Ocean Watch: Howe Sound/Atl’ḵa7tsem report update) will be released in 2020. This report updates the current state of coastal ocean health in Howe Sound/Atl’ḵa7tsem since an initial report was released …
Progress On Eccc’S Contribution To A New Initiative Component That Focuses On Marine Vessel Emissions And Mitigations In The Salish Sea.,
2020
Environment and Climate Change Canada
Progress On Eccc’S Contribution To A New Initiative Component That Focuses On Marine Vessel Emissions And Mitigations In The Salish Sea., Katelyn Wells
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
As a result of the National Energy Board’s (NEB) Reconsideration Report on the Trans Mountain Expansion (TMX) project there are accommodation measures that are intended to mitigate, avoid or lessen potential effects associated with the project and related marine shipping. Environment Climate Change Canada (ECCC), along with other federal agencies, is working to implement the Salish Sea Initiative. One aspect in particular is analysis related to cumulative effects and mitigation measures for regional marine vessel air pollutant emissions. Marine vessel traffic is a significant source of air pollutant and greenhouse gas emissions in the Salish Sea, affecting air quality in …
A First Comprehensive Baseline Of Hydrocarbon Pollution In Gulf Of Mexico Fishes,
2020
University of South Florida
A First Comprehensive Baseline Of Hydrocarbon Pollution In Gulf Of Mexico Fishes, Erin Pulster, Adolfo Gracia, Maickel Armenteros, Gerardo Toro-Farmer, Susan M. Snyder, Brigid Carr, Madison Schwaab, Tiffany Nicholson, Justin Mrowicki, Steven Murawski
C-IMAGE Publications
Despite over seven decades of production and hundreds of oil spills per year, there were no comprehensive baselines for petroleum contamination in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) prior to this study. Subsequent to the 2010 Deepwater Horizon (DWH) spill, we implemented Gulf-wide fish surveys extending over seven years (2011–2018). A total of 2,503 fishes, comprised of 91 species, were sampled from 359 locations and evaluated for biliary polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentrations. The northern GoM had significantly higher total biliary PAH concentrations than the West Florida Shelf, and coastal regions off Mexico and Cuba. The highest concentrations of biliary PAH …
The Southern Gulf Of Mexico: A Baseline Radiocarbon Isoscape Of Surface Sediments And Isotopic Excursions At Depth,
2020
Florida State University
The Southern Gulf Of Mexico: A Baseline Radiocarbon Isoscape Of Surface Sediments And Isotopic Excursions At Depth, Samantha H Bosman, Patrick Schwing, Rebekka A. Larson, Natalie E. Wildermann, Gregg R. Brooks, Isabel Romero, Joan-Albert Sanchez-Cabeza, Ana Carolina Ruiz-Fernández, Maria Luisa Machain-Castillo, Adolfo Gracia, Elva Escobar-Briones, Steven Murawski, David Hollander, Jeffrey P. Chanton
C-IMAGE Publications
The southern Gulf of Mexico (sGoM) is home to an extensive oil recovery and development infrastructure. In addition, the basin harbors sites of submarine hydrocarbon seepage and receives terrestrial inputs from bordering rivers. We used stable carbon, nitrogen, and radiocarbon analyses of bulk sediment organic matter to define the current baseline isoscapes of surface sediments in the sGoM and determined which factors might influence them. These baseline surface isoscapes will be useful for accessing future environmental impacts. We also examined the region for influence of hydrocarbon deposition in the sedimentary record that might be associated with hydrocarbon recovery, spillage and …
Feeding Ecology Of Red Snapper (Lutjanus Campechanus) And Vermilion Snapper (Rhomboplites Aurorubens) Coexisting At The Louisiana Shelf-Edge Banks,
2020
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College
Feeding Ecology Of Red Snapper (Lutjanus Campechanus) And Vermilion Snapper (Rhomboplites Aurorubens) Coexisting At The Louisiana Shelf-Edge Banks, Katherine M. Ellis
LSU Master's Theses
Niche partitioning, the process by which competing species use different subsets of the available resources, is commonly used to explain the coexistence of closely related species. In the northwest Gulf of Mexico on the shelf-edge banks, red snapper (Lutjanus campechanus) and vermilion snapper (Rhomboplites aurorubens) are two coexisting closely related species. Yet, little is known about how these species partition resources. In this study, niche partitioning of red snapper and vermilion snapper was investigated using gut contents and stable isotopes. While dietary niche partitioning was apparent, the species relied upon similar prey and displayed isotopic niche overlap, …
Complete Mitochondrial Genome Of Carijoa Riisei (Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1860) (Octocorallia: Alcyonacea: Stolonifera: Clavulariidae),
2020
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Complete Mitochondrial Genome Of Carijoa Riisei (Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1860) (Octocorallia: Alcyonacea: Stolonifera: Clavulariidae), Erin E. Easton, David Hicks
School of Earth, Environmental, and Marine Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations
We report the first complete Stolonifera mitochondrial genome. Carijoa riisei (Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1860) isolate CLP2_A03 was collected by scuba at 32 m on the USTS Texas Clipper (27° 53.7827′N, 93° 36.2702′W). The complete mitogenome has the ancestral octocoral gene order for its 14 protein-coding genes, two rRNA genes, and one tRNA gene. It is 18,714 bp (30.7% A, 15.8% C, 18.8% G, and 34.7% T). Of the Alcyonacea mitogenomes published to date, it is most genetically similar (94% uncorrected) to Sinularia ceramensis Verseveldt, 1977 (NC_044122).
Changes In Reef Fish Community Structure Following The Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill,
2020
University of Florida
Changes In Reef Fish Community Structure Following The Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, Justin P. Lewis, Joseph H. Tarnecki, Steven B. Garner, David D. Chagaris, William F. Patterson Iii
C-IMAGE Publications
Large-scale anthropogenic disturbances can have direct and indirect effects on marine communities, with direct effects often taking the form of widespread injury or mortality and indirect effects manifesting as changes in food web structure. Here, we report a time series that captures both direct and indirect effects of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill (DWH) on northern Gulf of Mexico (nGoM) reef fish communities. We observed significant changes in community structure immediately following the DWH, with a 38% decline in species richness and 26% decline in Shannon-Weiner diversity. Initial shifts were driven by widespread declines across a range of trophic guilds, …
An Ecopath With Ecosim Analysis On Offshore Petroleum Platform Influences On Gulf Of Mexico Red Snapper,
2020
Louisiana State University
An Ecopath With Ecosim Analysis On Offshore Petroleum Platform Influences On Gulf Of Mexico Red Snapper, Valentin Gomez
LSU Master's Theses
Offshore oil and gas platforms have had a significant presence in the Gulf of Mexico since the 1950s. An important secondary function of these structures is that they provide artificial habitat to fisheries, most notably Red snapper. Policy changes intended to reduce the risk associated with aging infrastructure have reduced the number of standing platforms from 4044 to 1867 from 2001 to 2018. The effect this loss of habitat has on Red snapper was tested by creating three scenarios of platform changes and modeling the perturbation from 2005 to 2050. The simulation was accomplished using the ecological model Ecopath with …
Nearshore Vertical Distribution Of Barnacle Cyprids: Temporal Patterns And Hydrographic Variability,
2020
University of San Diego
Nearshore Vertical Distribution Of Barnacle Cyprids: Temporal Patterns And Hydrographic Variability, Gabriela Yamhure
Theses
Most benthic organisms living in the intertidal zone have planktonic larvae that reside temporarily in the water column before settling in their adult habitats. Larvae aggregate in offshore larval pools, and transport horizontally and vertically in the water to remain in the nearshore and during their pelagic life. While some horizontal transport of larvae can be attributed to advection, behavioral responses, like vertical swimming and buoyancy control, allow larvae to position themselves at depths where flow direction can be exploited. Thus, knowledge on how vertical larval distribution relates to physical processes can be fundamental to better understand larval transport. These …
Environmental Dna Metabarcoding Detects Mammal Use Of Stock Tanks And Natural Springs On The Prescott National Forest,
2020
Montana State University - Billings
Environmental Dna Metabarcoding Detects Mammal Use Of Stock Tanks And Natural Springs On The Prescott National Forest, K. A. Smith, Berenice Carreras Mendiolea, C. E. Benson, F. B. Anaya
Discovery Day - Prescott
Recent research has shown the viability of environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis as a tool for identifying species presence in aquatic ecosystems. However, there is limited research indicating the feasibility of eDNA as a survey tool in water sources such as springs and stock tanks. Because of the scarcity of water in the high desert landscape of Arizona, natural springs and stock tanks are an important water resource. In this study, we examined whether 16S rRNA metabarcoding could detect mammal eDNA in springs and stock tanks in the Prescott National Forest. During summer 2019, we collected and analyzed water samples at …
Lobster Institute_Covid-19 Public Health Links Webpage,
2020
The University of Maine
Lobster Institute_Covid-19 Public Health Links Webpage, University Of Maine Lobster Institute
Lobster Institute
Screenshot of University of Maine's Lobster Institute webpage with guidance regarding lobster fishing during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Lobster Institute_Covid-19 Related Articles Webpage,
2020
The University of Maine
Lobster Institute_Covid-19 Related Articles Webpage, University Of Maine Lobster Institute
Lobster Institute
Screenshot of University of Maine's Lobster Institute webpage with articles regarding lobster fishing during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Scientific Diving_Diving Operations: Covid-19,
2020
University of Maine School of Marine Sciences
Scientific Diving_Diving Operations: Covid-19, Christopher Riguad
Teaching, Learning & Research Documents
Diving operations for University of Maine Scientific Diving during the COVID-19 pandemic from Christopher Rigaud, UMaine Diving Operations Manager.
Performance Evaluation Of Cetacean Species Distribution Models Developed Using Generalized Additive Models And Boosted Regression Trees,
2020
Old Dominion University
Performance Evaluation Of Cetacean Species Distribution Models Developed Using Generalized Additive Models And Boosted Regression Trees, Elizabeth A. Becker, James V. Carretta, Karin A. Forney, Jay Barlow, Stephanie Brodie, Ryan Hoopes, Michael G. Jacox, Sara M. Maxwell, Jessica V. Redfern, Nicholas B. Sisson, Heather Welch, Elliott L. Hazen
Biological Sciences Faculty Publications
Species distribution models (SDMs) are important management tools for highly mobile marine species because they provide spatially and temporally explicit information on animal distribution. Two prevalent modeling frameworks used to develop SDMs for marine species are generalized additive models (GAMs) and boosted regression trees (BRTs), but comparative studies have rarely been conducted; most rely on presence-only data; and few have explored how features such as species distribution characteristics affect model performance. Since the majority of marine species BRTs have been used to predict habitat suitability, we first compared BRTs to GAMs that used presence/absence as the response variable. We then …
The Simulated Biological Response To Southern Ocean Eddies Via Biological Rate Modification And Physical Transport,
2020
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
The Simulated Biological Response To Southern Ocean Eddies Via Biological Rate Modification And Physical Transport, Tyler Rohr, Cheryl S. Harrison, Matthew C. Long, Peter Gaube, Scott C. Doney
School of Earth, Environmental, and Marine Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations
We examine the structure and drivers of anomalous phytoplankton biomass in Southern Ocean eddies tracked in a global, multiyear, eddy-resolving, 3-D ocean simulation of the Community Earth System Model.We examine how simulated anticyclones and cyclones differentially modify phytoplankton biomass concentrations, growth rates, and physical transport. On average, cyclones induce negative division rate anomalies that drive negative net population growth rate anomalies, reduce dilution across shallower mixed layers, and advect biomass anomalously downward via eddy-induced Ekman pumping. The opposite is true in anticyclones. Lateral transport is dominated by eddy stirring rather than eddy trapping. The net effect on anomalous biomass can …
Circulation Changes In The Arctic Ocean And Subarctic Seas And Their Connections To The Global Ocean And Climate,
2020
University of South Carolina
Circulation Changes In The Arctic Ocean And Subarctic Seas And Their Connections To The Global Ocean And Climate, Rachel Elizabeth Nichols
Theses and Dissertations
Salinity and freshwater fluxes are important tools for monitoring the amount of freshwater entering and exiting the Arctic Ocean. Satellite-derived salinity provides a way to study surface advective freshwater fluxes; however, sea ice contamination, among others, remains an obstacle in the accuracy and reliability of these measurements. In this study, salinity and surface freshwater fluxes are calculated using NASA’s Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) and the ESA’s Soil Moisture Ocean Salinity (SMOS), Argo, and the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecast’s Ocean Reanalysis version 4 (ORAS4). ORAS4 compares well to Argo in the subarctic seas and is used for comparison …
Influence Of Stormwater Management On Oxygen Demand And Organic Matter Cycling In Urbanizing Headwater Catchments,
2020
University of South Carolina
Influence Of Stormwater Management On Oxygen Demand And Organic Matter Cycling In Urbanizing Headwater Catchments, Kelly Mccabe
Theses and Dissertations
Excessive organic matter (OM) is driving declining dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations in coastal ecosystems, worldwide. The quantity, source, and composition of OM transported to coastal ecosystems via stormwater runoff has been altered by land use changes associated with urbanization and subsequent headwater alterations that accompany urban stormwater management. To understand the role of stormwater runoff in the decline of coastal DO, biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) was determined for samples collected during rain events from the outfalls of a variety of stormwater infrastructure with watersheds spanning a range of development. Measurements of particulate and dissolved carbon and nitrogen and chlorophyll-a concentrations …
New Approaches To Understanding Mjo Dynamics,
2020
University of South Carolina
New Approaches To Understanding Mjo Dynamics, Casey Shoup
Theses and Dissertations
The Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) is a highly air-sea coupled phenomenon and is the dominant mode of intraseasonal variability in the tropics. It is easily discernible in satellite-derived sea surface salinity (SSS), which varies as a direct result of MJO precipitation from the convectively active to suppressed phases. Negative (positive) SSS anomalies are associated with the active (suppressed) phase of the MJO. We find that all three available satellite salinity missions (ESA’s Soil Moisture Ocean Salinity (SMOS); NASA’s Aquarius/SAC-D, and NASA’s Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP)) are capable of capturing the MJO SSS signal and that the near-equatorial SSS response is …
Diet Analysis Of Stranded Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops Truncatus) In Virginia,
2020
Old Dominion University
Diet Analysis Of Stranded Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops Truncatus) In Virginia, Kristen Marie Volker
Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations
This study describes the diet of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) stranded in Virginia via stomach content analysis and considers factors such as proportion of numerical abundance and reconstructed mass, frequency of occurrence, average reconstructed prey size, prey diversity and quantity, and otolith degradation code. Fish size was estimated via regression equations established from local fish collected during the study that derive wet weight directly from otolith length or width. Squid size is estimated from previously published equations. Soniferous fishes dominated the diet, especially Atlantic croaker, spot, and seatrout spp., adding evidence to the theory that bottlenose dolphins passively …
Dynamics Of The Loop Current System And Its Effects On Surface And Subsurface Properties In The Gulf Of Mexico,
2020
University of South Carolina
Dynamics Of The Loop Current System And Its Effects On Surface And Subsurface Properties In The Gulf Of Mexico, Richard James Brokaw
Theses and Dissertations
Surface circulation in the Gulf of Mexico is dominated by the Loop Current System (LCS), including the Loop Current (LC) and its associated eddies. The Gulf of Mexico (GoM) also displays long-term surface gradients of temperature and salinity due to climatological features including the intrusion of warm, saline waters from the Caribbean Sea and the seasonal deposition of freshwater from the Mississippi River System caused by seasonal increases in snow melt and precipitation over the watershed. This research aims to increase the understanding of the LCS through the investigation of its relationship with these surface gradients. A classification system of …
